Hon Rick Mazza asks about the recovery rate of stolen firearms in WA and what initiatives are in place to improve it. The Minister provides statistics and outlines standard investigative practices and amnesty programs.

AnsweredQoN 512Legislative Council
Asked
28 November 2017
Portfolio
Police

QuestionView source ↗

Can the Minister please advise:
(a) the rate of recovery of stolen firearms; and
(b) what operational initiatives are being undertaken to increase the recovery rate?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
13 March 2018
Responded by
Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Police
Response time
6 days
(a) The recovery rate varies from year to year. An Australian Institute of criminology report released in 2017 noted that across Australia stolen firearms were recovered by police from 14% of reported firearms theft incidents; rates varied between jurisdictions. Between 1 November 2016 and 31 October 2017, in Western Australia the recovery rate was 15.6%. (b) The Western Australia Police Force investigate stolen firearm offences in accordance with current Investigative Practices. Should police receive intelligence regarding stolen firearms, this is acted upon to recover these items. Initiatives such as amnesties can also recover stolen or unlicensed firearms.
(b) The Western Australia Police Force investigate stolen firearm offences in accordance with current Investigative Practices. Should police receive intelligence regarding stolen firearms, this is acted upon to recover these items. Initiatives such as amnesties can also recover stolen or unlicensed firearms.

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